M1 brought to a standstill by ‘teenage arson gang’

Six teenagers were among an arson gang that started a fire that closed the M1 for nearly a week, a court has heard.

The fire at a scrapyard under an elevated section of the M1 caused transport chaos for days last April (Picture: PA)

They caused £4.5 million of damage at a scrapyard under the motorway, it was alleged.

‘It caused such an intensive fire that it actually damaged the motorway above,’ said James Brown , prosecuting at Wood Green crown court.

The six are among ten teenagers accused of ‘spree arson attacks’ in Barnet, north London, in April last year.

Luke Matthews, Johno Johnson, Josh Lambe, all 18, a 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds, all from north London, deny various charges relating to the fires.

The court was also told that some of the teenagers are also accused of carrying out four other arson attacks in two parks in the area.

Jurors were told Damien McQueen, 18, of north London, Lambe and the two 15-year-olds deny conspiring to destroy a wooden Wendy house in Edgwarebury Park on April 12, a charge to which Johnson, Matthews and the 17-year-old have pleaded guilty.

McQueen and two youths aged 14 and 15 also deny a charge of conspiring to destroy a wooden play area in the same park on April 13, which Johnson, Matthews, the 17-year-old and the other 15-year-old have admitted.

Hannah Parker, 18, of north London, and one of the 15-year-olds deny conspiring to destroy a picnic shelter at a park in Mill Hill on April 15, while 18-year-old Jaun Durandt, 18, also of north London, Johnson, Lambe and the other 15-year-old and the 17-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge.

Finally, Parker, Lambe and Durandt deny the fourth charge of conspiring to destroy a further picnic shelter at Mill Hill on April 16; a charge Johnson, Matthews and the 17-year-old have admitted.